My Arundel Biz

We couldn't think of a better day than Valentine's Day to publish a My ArundelBiz Podcast episode featuring an ArundelBiz that's all about self-love: ⁠Levonye Professionals. We sat down with Yalmikia Edmonds, the coincidentally red- and pink-clad owner of the hair restoration center based in Glen Burnie, to discuss: - How wanting to continue servicing her cosmetology clients and pursuing new knowledge resulted in building her own business. - What inspired the "Levonye" name and what makes her business unique. - The many different hair loss conditions that exist, and why the many ways she treats them is really about restoring self-confidence. - The most valuable things that she learned from the Inclusive Ventures Program (IVP), AAEDC's business accelerator program. - Why she decided to pursue (and become the very first recipient of) a loan from AAEDC's VOLT Microloan Fund to grow her business, and how she plans to keep growing it in big ways in the future. - How Claire Huxtable was crucial to her early entrepreneurial mindset. - Some of the many things that she loves about owning a business in and living in Anne Arundel County. So tune in for an inspirational episode that's full of love and yes, plenty of before and after images that you have to see to believe!

🚨The 2023 My ArundelBiz HOLIDAY POD is HERE!🚨 Our FIFTH holiday episode - and perhaps most footage-filled episode ever - features Greenstreet Gardens, a family-owned nursery and garden center based in Lothian. We sat down with Ray Greenstreet, the sometimes Santa hat-wearing owner of the 23-year-old ag-based business, to discuss:

• Why, after spending many years as a Long Island-based sales rep for Ball Seed Company, he decided to return to Maryland and buy Windermere Gardens in 2000.
• How much the company has grown since - including opening a second garden center, in Alexandria, and providing residential AND commercial landscaping services throughout the entire Delmarva region.
• Some of the 70,000 SKUs of items that Greenstreet stocks, from the diverse plants grown in its six acres of greenhouses to its many products for pooches, and some of the many agricultural experiences that it offers.
• What makes the holiday season an especially great time to visit Lothian AND Greenstreet's Annapolis Pop Up Shop, at Annapolis Town Center, for some fun and in-person shopping.
• And why he is such a huge proponent of shopping small and local, supporting his community, and providing jobs - and of course plants! - to all sorts of people throughout the year.

So tune in to hear a great conversation AND see plenty of footage that's guaranteed to give you all the holiday feels!

Just in time for a holiday focused on food, we're proud to publish a special episode featuring a nonprofit that seeks to ensure that all members of our community have enough: the Anne Arundel County Food Bank (AACFB).

We sat down with Leah Paley, CEO of the 37-year-old organization, to discuss:

• The many ways that AACFB works to alleviate food insecurity in Anne Arundel County, where 8.1% of residents (47,000+ people) don't know where their next meal is coming from - and over half of these individuals don't qualify for federal assistance.
• The many similarities between running the non-profit and running a business, from managing funds to maintaining a facility, and the many ways that its work benefits our local economy - including partnering with and purchasing from local farmers.
• Some of AACFB's newest initiatives - including a diaper program that supports 1,000 babies per month, a Backpack Buddies program that provides 14,000 AACPS students with out-of-school meals, and a brand new Maryland Department of Agriculture-funded mobile food pantry that distributes food all over Anne Arundel County, from Lothian to Brooklyn Park.
• The many ways that individuals and businesses can support AACFB, from donating food and time and money to hosting and attending food drives and charitable events, and why it's important to do so during the holiday season AND throughout the year.

PLUS the episode includes the very special presentation of a $1,000 “golf check” from our Arundel Grown event, in honor of longtime Arundel Ag Director Lisa Barge, AND a very sincere promise that AAEDC looks forward to keeping on December 8. So tune in for an episode that's sure to make you thankful for what you have - and just might also inspire you to give!

With the holiday season approaching, our next well-timed episode features a business that's all about helping make it - and every other time of year - as stress-free and comfortable as possible for canines (as well as their humans): Chesapeake Dog Training.

We sat down with Linda Stallings, founder and owner of the 14-year-old company that "connects people and dogs through training" (and our 80TH VOLT Fund loan recipient!) to discuss:

• What made her decide to leave her super-exciting job at the Baltimore Zoo, where she enjoyed solving everyday problems like how to weigh a rhinoceros for the first time, and emBARK upon opening a dog walking (and soonafter dog training) business in Annapolis in 2009.
• Her training philosophy - including why she believes that all dogs (and all other animals) are trainable, whatever their age and however RUFF their behavior, and that they (and their owners) all need a personalized training plan that's part science, part art.
• How she used a VOLT Fund loan to take her business, which had grown to the point of consistently turning away potential clients, from home-based to brick-and-mortar - plus why she loved the process.
• AND her top tips on dog training, running a business, and places to, surprise, surprise, take your dog for a walk in Anne Arundel County.

So tune in to this purely PAWSitive story of small business success TODAY!

With the fall harvest season in full swing we're excited to feature one of the hundreds of farms in Anne Arundel County: Wild Kid Acres.

We sat down with Gerardo Martinez, owner of the five-acre agricultural enrichment and education center, to discuss:

• How a trip to Cameroon inspired a United States Naval Academy graduate and corporate leadership business founder who, notably, happened to grow up on a flower farm but hate farming, decide to start a farm in Edgewater.
• The wide variety of animals, many of them "donated without consent," that call Wild Kid home - and what purposes they serve, from food to therapy.
• The importance of the farm's multiple revenue streams, including production and agritourism, and of running it as a business.
• Why he's so excited about Wild Kid's brand new 100% volunteer-built barn, which not only provides a home for horses but will also help underrepresented farmers access the market.
• Why he believes that “Farming is the only truly fully redemptive profession in the entire world" - and how he plans to help create more farmers in the future.
• Plus MUCH more!

So tune in for an episode that's not only inspirational but, YES, filled with footage of PLENTY of cute farm animals!

Two weeks into the month, which runs from September 15 to October 15, we're excited to highlight TWO of the many great Hispanic-owned businesses in Anne Arundel County: Annapolis Latino Market (ALM) and Sin Fronteras Cafe.

We sat down with Walter Vasquez, owner of both Annapolis-based businesses (and many others), to discuss:

• The valuable experience that he gained while working in El Salvador, Miami, and New York City before moving to Maryland in 2007.
• What inspired him to open Sin Fronteras (which means "No Borders") and Annapolis Latino Market and, after facing and overcoming the enormous unexpected challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and a direct hit by the Annapolis Tornado, respectively, why they're both so successful - including fresh-pressed corn tortillas!
• Why he thinks Maryland and Anne Arundel County are, and can continue to be, the best state and county for business - including, for example, organizations like AAEDC and the Maryland Department of Commerce making business resources and procurement opportunities more accessible to the Hispanic population.
• The great value of Anne Arundel County's Minority & Hispanic Business Talks, sponsored by AAEDC during Hispanic Heritage Month and hosted by Sergio Polanco, Anne Arundel County’s Hispanic Latino Multicultural Affairs Officer, and the Anne Arundel County Office of Community Engagement and Constituent Services throughout the year.
• His top tips for aspiring entrepreneurs and favorite places to eat in Anne Arundel County (aside from Sin Fronteras, of course).
• PLUS his must-try dish at Sin Fronteras and his two must-buy items at Annapolis Latino Market.

So tune in for an episode that's filled with entrepreneurial inspiration and, starting at 11:30, a full tour of Annapolis Latino Market!

As September arrives and Anne Arundel County residents of all ages adjust to new routines - from returning to school or college to watching football throughout their weekends - a perennial question arises: What can I (or my kids) snack on? With that question in mind, we're excited to publish our next My ArundelBiz Podcast featuring Moore Crunch: a new but VERY fast-growing business offering sweet and savory gourmet pretzels. We sat down with Marcus Moore, the Crofton-based business's owner - and one of just ten individuals with autism in the country who owns 100% of his business! - and his mom, Kathy Watson, aka "Mama Crunch," to discuss:

• How Marcus found his peace, and his "missing puzzle piece," in pretzels, and what made him think that the business could work.
• How it felt for Marcus to make his first sale and, less than one year after launching the business at the Crofton Farmers' Market, how it feels to now be selling at big-name businesses including Graul's Market, The Maryland Inn, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Mount Washington Hospital, Jimmy's Famous Seafood, AND most recently Camden Yards - PLUS shipping to every single state in the U.S. AND representing Anne Arundel County at the MACo 2023 Taste of Maryland Reception!
• Why Mama Crunch thinks we can and should celebrate autism-owned businesses, just like we celebrate minority-owned, woman-owned, and Veteran-owned businesses, and why Marcus's autism helps him succeed.
• Why Marcus says "If you’re happy with yourself, you’ll be happy with your business."
• Why Mama Crunch says "Anne Arundel County has so many resources that can catapult your business beyond."
• AND much more!

So sit back, turn on your snack-a-vision, and discover why “The world needs Moore Crunch!”

With that in mind we’re pleased to publish a My ArundelBiz Podcast episode featuring one of the newest spots for skin care in the region: Skinlogic, a boutique medical spa in Severna Park.

We sat down with Meredith Baker, founder and owner of the business (and a proud VOLT Fund loan recipient!), to discuss:

• Her path from vet tech to trauma nurse to aesthetician.
• How a VOLT Fund loan helped her take her business from home-based to brick-and-mortar.
• The process behind deciding what services to offer, including ear-catching ones like Glowtox and Cryoprobe.
• Her top tips for other early-stage entrepreneurs.
• Her favorite things about owning a business in and living in Severna Park.

So tune in to learn about an ArundelBiz - and an ArundelBiz owner - that's all about smartly aging your skin!

With the Maryland Buy Local Challenge and our Arundel Grown Farm To Table Tasting just days away, we're excited to publish a My ArundelBiz Podcast episode featuring one of Anne Arundel County's many farm-based businesses: Morris Hill Farm.

We sat down with Dave and Vicki Haberkorn, owners of the small family farm in Tracy's Landing, to discuss:

• The journey from community farming and chicken plucking in Florida to full-time farming in southern Anne Arundel County five years ago.
• Why it's so fulfilling to sell directly to customers all over Anne Arundel - including at four of the county's ten farmers' markets (the Severna Park Farmers Market, Honey's Harvest Farmers Market, Anne Arundel County Farmers Market, and Farragut Farmers Market), right on the farm, and through deliveries.
• Being proud to have their eggs and chicken, respectively, on the 2022 and 2023 Arundel Grown Farm To Table Tasting menu.
• The intense planning involved in feeding and moving and raising an ever-growing number of pastured animals, then harvesting and storing their meat, in order to generate revenue year round.
• How a $1,000 matching grant from the Arundel Ag Mini Grant Program helped them pull the trigger on getting a gate to better control both animal and human traffic on the farm.
• Their growth plans for the future, from considering a Butcher Box-style subscription to connecting with more retail partners.
• Business advice for early-stage farmers, including taking advantage of resources at organizations like Arundel Ag and the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission (SMADC).
• Why they say "We couldn't ask for a better county to be farming in."

*SHOW NOTES*

Learn more about the ⁠2023 Arundel Grown Farm To Table Tasting⁠ - Arundel Ag's signature summer event that celebrates all of Anne Arundel County's diverse producers by featuring an expansive tasting menu made with local ingredients, wine, live music, and goodie bags filled with info about local producers and sponsors' discounts and samples.

Read our Farm Business Profile featuring Morris Hill Farm.

Learn about the Arundel Ag Mini Grant, which offers Anne Arundel County farmers a one-to-one match of up to $1,000 to expand operations.

Among many things June is National Immigrant Heritage Month: a time to honor and celebrate the very wide array of contributions that immigrants have made and are continuing to make to our country. On the economic side of things it's a time to, as this year's White House Proclamation states, celebrate the fact that "Immigrants own approximately one in five businesses, create millions of jobs, pay hundreds of billions in taxes, and spend even more on American goods;" that, simply put, "immigrants keep our Nation strong and our economy growing."

With that in mind we're excited to publish an episode featuring our third VOLT Fund Series guest of 2023: Liliane Badawu, a native of Cameroon and the very proud owner of the The Braiding Palace in Glen Burnie.

We sat down with Lilly, not only a VOLT Fund loan and grant recipient but also a member of our first Inclusive Ventures Program (IVP) cohort, to discuss:

• How she decided to leave her day job and, following in the footsteps of her entrepreneurial parents, go all-in on opening her own business in Anne Arundel County.
• The biggest lessons that she learned from IVP - and why her cohort "felt like a family from the very first class."
• How AAEDC’s VOLT COVID Relief Loan and Grant Program helped her business survive, and even grow, amid the COVID pandemic.
• What makes The Braiding Palace - aka "the place where hair dreams come true" - so special and successful, and what she has planned for its future.

So tune in to learn about an ArundelBiz - and an ArundelBiz owner - that's all about the braids!

We sat down with Kelsey and Stephanie Gary, President and Vice President of Glen Burnie-based KG Truck and Auto and our second VOLT Fund Series guests, to discuss:

• Why, after working at a dealership for 15 years, Kelsey decided to turn what began as a side hustle into his own single-bay business.
• How Stephanie, aka "the secret weapon," came to join the business and help it grow by applying her DOD contracting experience and pursuing every professional development opportunity she could find.
• Why they viewed the combination of an AAEDC Volt Fund loan and an AAEDC Arundel Community Reinvestment (ACR) Fund loan as "the unicorn loan" when seeking to buy a new building for their rapidly-expanding business, which grew from 6 to 20 employees within a month of their move.
• How the business has evolved and grown over time, and what they have planned for its future.
• Plus some of their top business tips and some of their favorite places to eat in Anne Arundel County.

So tune in to learn about a "unicorn business" and a power couple that has no plans of slowing down!

Learn more about the VOLT Fund - a casino revenue-funded loan program offers small, minority-owned, woman-owned, and Veteran-owned businesses in Maryland loans from $25,000 to $500,000 for purposes such as business and commercial real estate acquisition and expansion, lease-hold improvements, equipment, and working capital - here.

Learn more about the ACR Fund - a loan program that offers business and property owners in certain areas of Anne Arundel County loans of up to $100,000 (and, for a limited time, 25% of approved loans as a grant) for building exterior and site improvements - here.

We're excited to be celebrating lots of things this month, from the arrival of warmer weather to the graduation of our March 2023 Inclusive Ventures Program (IVP) cohort, and we're pleased to feature a business owner who's a big fan of both: Jeremiah Batucan, owner of Peake Social.

We sat down with Jeremiah, a proud Filipino American and a proud graduate of our March 2022 IVP cohort, to discuss:

• The creation and growth of the Annapolis-based adult social sports league, from a single cornhole league in 2019 to leagues for a dozen sports today, and what makes it special.
• The most valuable lessons he learned from - and partnerships he forged after - IVP.
• His appreciation for his Filipino heritage and for the opportunity to become a business owner.
• Plus some of his top tips for business owners and a few of his favorite places to go in Anne Arundel County.

So tune in to learn about an ArundelBiz that aims to be, as Jeremiah says, "the peak of your week!"

Four weeks after the first day of spring and eight weeks after announcing some big news about our Arundel Community Reinvestment (ACR) Fund, we're excited to publish an episode featuring a business that is a big fan of both: City Clean Inc.

We sat down with Dan Steele, owner of the Brooklyn Park-based power washing company and one of 62 Anne Arundel County business owners who have received an ACR loan since 2007, to discuss:

• How he decided to start City Clean and why its work leaves customers - and the employees who do it - so satisfied.
• Why he immediately viewed the ACR Fund as a "no-brainer" when he first discovered it, through his commercial real estate agent, and how his $100,000 loan allowed him to purchase and renovate his business's new headquarters.
• Why his location in Northern Anne Arundel County is great for both business and pleasure.
• PLUS some of his top tips for business owners and a few of his most memorable jobs.

So tune in for some spring cleaning inspiration AND some business education TODAY!

Learn more about the ACR Fund - a loan program that offers business and property owners in certain areas of Anne Arundel County loans of up to $100,000 (and, for a limited time, 25% of approved loans as a grant) for building exterior and site improvements - here.

2023 is AAEDC’s 10th year of managing the VOLT Fund - a casino revenue-funded program that assists small, minority-owned, woman-owned, and Veteran-owned businesses in Maryland by offering them loans from $25,000 to $500,000 - on behalf of the MD Department of Commerce, and April just so happens to be the month when we received our first VOLT Fund funds (on April 17, 2013 to be precise).

SO, with that in mind, we’re happy to share that we'll be celebrating the occasion by featuring ten of the 135 total business owners (and counting!) who have received a total of nearly $17,000,000 in VOLT Fund loans from AAEDC.

We sat down with our first VOLT Fund series guest, Forward Brewing founder Cam Bowdren, to discuss:

• How he and his wife, Claire, went from being craft beer-loving Annapolitans to the owners of a craft beer-brewing business in Eastport - including the role of the Brewers Association of Maryland and, of course, a VOLT Fund loan.
• How he learned about the VOLT Fund (spoiler alert: Severn Savings Bank), what made it a great option, and what the loan was used for.
• Some of the highlights of Forward's first three years, from launching beer clubs and hosting weekly running and biking groups to putting New Roots Farm pork on its menu and collaborating with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Annapolis Pride, and Watermark.
• Some of what he's looking FORWARD to, from working the Annapolis Cup Croquet Match in April and celebrating Forward's three-year anniversary in May to seeing Forward's logo on the Annapolis Blues professional soccer team's jerseys and taking boat trips aboard the Sally IVth.
• PLUS some of his favorite places to visit in Anne Arundel County and some of his top tips for business owners.

So tune in to learn more about Anne Arundel County's newest brewing business and how a loan from AAEDC helped it get going!

Fresh off our announcement of the first cohort of business owners to complete our Inclusive Ventures Program (IVP) in 2023 - notably our first all-women cohort! - we're pleased to publish our second My ArundelBiz Podcast episode focused on all-things IVP.

We sat down with Barbara Quaye, AAEDC Business Development Director and IVP Manager, and IVP Facilitator Will Holmes to discuss:

• The origins of IVP - an initiative that aims to help small and minority-owned, woman-owned, and Veteran-owned businesses in Anne Arundel County succeed and grow by providing a robust menu of resources - and how Holmes connected with AAEDC.
• What the "robust menu of resources" includes, and why they're so valuable to business owners.
• How and why IVP has grown since its inception, in January 2021, in terms of attention, funding, and economic impact.
• Some of the most memorable members of the first four cohorts including previous podcast guests Magothy Payments, Cake Artista, Pirate Adventures on the Chesapeake, and MuralizeIt Interiors.
• Why, as Will says, "If you're serious about your growth and serious about making an impact in the county," you should consider applying to be a member of an upcoming cohort in 2023.

So tune in to learn more about the Inclusive Ventures Program and why you, or someone you know, might want to be a part of it!

Perfectly timed with National Engineers Week, a celebration running from February 19-25, 2023, we're pleased to publish an episode featuring one of Anne Arundel County's most exciting employers of engineers: Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, a company that “develops and fields transformative, affordable systems, platforms, and products for national security and communications needs."

We sat down with Josh Peterson, Senior Vice President of Kratos's Glen Burnie-based Space and Missile  Defense Systems division, to discuss:

• What he and his team do, from ballistic missile emulations and high-speed hypersonic testing to supporting the development of an "air-breathing hypersonic weapon system," and why it's so important to national security.
• What makes working as an engineer at Kratos specifically, and as an engineer in general, so exciting and fulfilling - and why Peterson says that "If you're an engineer you can do just about anything."
• Why Anne Arundel County - aka "the tech hub by the Bay" - is an ideal location for a 42-location company that works with a wide array of business partners and relies on a highly-educated talent pool.
• Why the county is also the perfect place for an outdoorsy person such as himself to live.
• Plus some super-exciting things that he expects Kratos to work on in the future.

We promise this is our only episode with b-roll of a rocket launch (SPOILER ALERT!), so tune in today!

With Valentine's Day - aka the biggest day for dinner dates - and Annapolis Restaurant Week ahead, there's no better time for one of our most anticipated My ArundelBiz Podcast episodes yet: 2022 & 2023 New Eats in Anne Arundel County.

Featuring AAEDC Vice President of Business Development & Real Estate Wes MacQuilliam - aka the TRUE Anne Arundel County real estate guru - this very special episode takes a look at some of the most-anticipated restaurants and grocery stores to open in Anne Arundel County in 2022 - and, just as importantly, some of the most-anticipated culinary locations coming to the county in 2023.

Wes discusses:

• The best spots for date nights, family meals, and ethnic flavors.
• Grocery store happenings, including the arrival of a super-"fresh" concept and a relocation that almost brings tears to his eyes.
• "The best places to start (or end) your day with some sugar."
• And the uber-anticipated reopening of an iconic Annapolis restaurant where - spoiler alert! - Grayson ate his first gyro and Steve went on his very first date.

So turn on your smell-a-vision, get ready to make some reservations, and tune in!

As 2022 comes to a close we're excited to feature a company that celebrated its sixtieth year in business throughout it: Chaney Enterprises (CE).

We sat down with Hall Chaney, third-generation CEO of the family-owned business, to discuss: 

• How CE has grown from a humble sand and gravel business in Charles County to a Gambrills-headquartered company with sand, gravel, and ready-mix concrete plants throughout the Mid-Atlantic and roughly 750 employees.
• The benefits and obstacles of running a third-generation family business.
• How CE recruits and retains its employees, including recently working with AAEDC and the Maryland Department of Commerce to launch its Registered Apprenticeship Program for drivers and creating a strong company culture through benefits and annual events.
• Some of CE's most notable projects, from the foundations of countless homes and businesses in Anne Arundel County to the new Nice Middleton Bridge over the Potomac River and the much-anticipated new Hillman Garage in downtown Annapolis.
• CE's longstanding commitment to philanthropy, with Chaney Cares' efforts now focused on the Boys & Girls Club, Raise A Reader, Habitat for Humanity, and Farming For Hunger.
• PLUS why you - or someone you know - might want to join the Chaney team.

So tune in to get a bite-sized look at a company that's been pouring foundations - and driving dozens of eye-catching trucks - all over Anne Arundel for six decades!

With Christmas just a week away we're excited to publish a special holiday episode featuring Blank Slate, “an entrepreneurship collective that’s passionate about helping small brands start, grow, and thrive.”

We sat down with Taryn Ouzts, founder of one of many new businesses to open in the Annapolis Mall in 2022, to discuss:

• How horrible migraines led her to create one of her three businesses, Burnt Culture Co., and how her experience with an accelerator program led her to create Blank Slate.
• The mission of the collective - equity (NOT equality!) for small business owners - and the incredibly wide array of brands that call it home.
• The importance of shopping small and shopping locally, both for business owners and the local economy, and her favorite places in Anne Arundel County to do it herself.
• PLUS her top tips for new and aspiring entrepreneurs!

So tune in and, after watching Grayson and Steve get their holiday shop on, see who ended up paying for the spree!

With the holiday feasting season upon us we're pleased to feature one of Anne Arundel County's many great producers: Makeathe.

We sat down with Tom Giancola, self-proclaimed "bread guy" and owner of the Annapolis-based cottage food business, to discuss:

• How he decided to build "Annapolis's Underground Bakery," a full-scale professional commercial kitchen, under his home, and give the business such a unique name.
• Why he finds the history of bread baking, connecting with customers - and with fellow producers - at farmers' markets, and regularly donating bread to the hungry so inspirational.
• How he has grown the business and worked to change cottage food laws at both the county and state level.

PLUS his top tips on running a business, having fun in Anne Arundel County, and enjoying bread the way it's meant to be enjoyed.

So tune in to learn more about a business, and a man, that's all about the bread. 

We PROMISE you'll not only wish you had smell-a-vision but also want to watch until the very end!

We ended October, notably designated as both National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month, by featuring Purview, a fast-growing telehealth software company.

We sat down with Josh DeBartolo, COO of the Annapolis-based business, to discuss:

• Why second opinions are so important, especially when it comes to cancer, and how Purview's "remote second opinion software" works. 
• How Purview has grown and how AAEDC and Department of Commerce resources, for example our Workforce Training Grants, have helped it continue to grow. 
• What makes Anne Arundel County such a great place for the company to be located.

PLUS Josh's top pieces of business advice and top places to visit and eat in Anne Arundel County.

So tune in to learn more about a high-tech business that's making a major impact in the healthcare space!

We're helping Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15) go out with a bang AND celebrating National Dessert Day (TODAY, October 14) by publishing another special episode featuring one of the many great Hispanic-owned businesses in Anne Arundel County: Cake Artista.

We sat down with Sandie Torres, owner of the almost ten year-old cake and confections baking business, to discuss:

• How the self-described "Make It Happen Captain" decided to leave corporate America and start the business with her sister, whom she loved baking with as a child in a single-parent household, and give it such a great name.
• What makes Cake Artista's masterpieces so unique - from Hispanic-inspired flavor combinations to complete customizabilty.
• What she learned from AAEDC's Inclusive Ventures Program (IVP), and why it was so valuable to her business's survival, growth, and future plans.

PLUS her favorite places to visit in Anne Arundel County and her top tips for aspiring entrepreneurs.

So tune in to learn more about a business, and a woman, that's all about providing beautiful - AND delicious! - desserts that provide the "wow factor" to folks in and around Anne Arundel County!

As we hit the halfway point of Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15 - October 15, we're celebrating one of the many great Hispanic-owned businesses in Anne Arundel County: MuralizeIt Interiors.

We sat down with Andrea Moragues and Sonia Alignani, co-owners of the Crofton-based home staging and interior design company, to discuss:

• How the two art-loving Argentinians very randomly met in America, 15 years ago, and decided to transition from a mural-painting business to MuralizeIt.
• What home staging is, why it's so important, and how they do it.
• How in just four years the business has grown from two garages, to nine storage units, to the 4,000 square-foot warehouse that it moved into in December 2021 - including the crucial role that Andrea's participation in AAEDC's Inclusive Ventures Program played in that growth.
• Their top business advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and their pride in being a Hispanic- AND women-owned business.
• PLUS their favorite places to visit in Anne Arundel County!

So tune in to learn more about a business, and a pair of women, that's all about helping keep the housing market in and around Anne Arundel County booming!

At least that's what Clear Restoration & Pre-Disaster Consulting's Vince Scarfo says - and, after marking National Disaster Preparedness Month (September) by hosting him on the latest episode of the My ArundelBiz podcast, we believe it!

We sat down with Vince, Chief Revenue Officer at the Millersville-based business, to discuss:

• How he and founder Chip Cunningham have grown Clear by treating restoration as a business and seeking, then implementing, "constant process improvement." 
• Hiring, training, and retaining great employees - including pursuing Maryland's Job Creation Tax Credit after learning about it from AAEDC.
• What makes Clear unique - namely, being a true "full-service" restoration provider and offering expert disaster preparedness consulting.
• Why having, communicating, and practicing a disaster plan is so essential for families and businesses of all shapes and sizes.

PLUS his top spots to relax in Anne Arundel County and his top tips for being as prepared for a disaster as possible.

So tune in to learn how to help make it a “happy” Disaster Preparedness Month by planning for all of the things that will hopefully never happen!

With the summer flying by and Labor Day fast-approaching, the My ArundelBiz podcast is proud to highlight Project Opportunity, a free entrepreneurship training program designed solely for Veterans (Active Duty, Guard/Reserve Personnel, and Veterans) who want to start or expand their small business, and its Spouse Entrepreneurship Training Course.  

We sat down with Joe Giordano, a long-serving Veteran and the founder of Project Opportunity, to discuss: 

• What led him to create Project Opportunity, which launched in September 2010, and the Spouse Entrepreneurship Training Course, an offshoot designed specifically for Veterans' spouses or dependents.
• How the programs' curriculums and expert-led training, much like those of AAEDC's Inclusive Ventures Program, have allowed 383 Project Opportunity graduates and 25 Spouse Entrepreneurship Course graduates to grow their businesses and create jobs throughout Maryland. 
• Some of the diverse businesses created by program graduates, from Kiss My Glass Window Cleaning and Queen of Spades Style and Jammin' Together (Project Opportunity) to Reveille Grounds and Stephanie McLaughlin Photography (Spouse Entrepreneurship Training Course). 
• PLUS his top 5 reasons that Veterans' spouses or dependents should consider applying to participate in the Military Spouse Fall 2022 Class, taking place on Wednesday evenings from September 14th, 2022 to November 9th, 2022 at the Anne Arundel Workforce Development Career Center in Linthicum, Maryland. 

So tune in to learn more about Project Opportunity and its Spouse Entrepreneurship Training Course any why you, or someone you know, might want to apply to participate!

With summer officially here – FYI, it arrived on June 21 – and thoughts of fresh produce and farmers’ markets on our minds, the My ArundelBiz podcast returned to Great Frogs Winery - the beautiful site of the 2022 Arundel Grown Farm To Table Tasting - to highlight Maryland Buy Local Week and how Arundel Ag is celebrating it. 

We sat down with Lisa Barge, Agricultural Marketing & Development Manager at Arundel Ag, to discuss: 

• The origin and purpose of Maryland Buy Local Week and the Maryland Buy Local Challenge, which were created by the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission (SMADC), and how the Maryland Department of Agriculture and Maryland Governor Larry Hogan have helped promote them. 
• How Arundel Ag celebrates the week and highlights Anne Arundel County's diverse producers and products through its annual Arundel Grown event. 
• How to use Arundel Ag's Arundel Grown Guide, plus its brand-new Arundel Grown logo, to find out where to buy products grown in or made in the county throughout the year. 
• Some of the MANY benefits of buying local, from learning where your food comes from and enjoying it more to keeping more money in your community and strengthening local food supply chains. 
• PLUS her favorite local products to buy, like pickled mushrooms and Rooted hummus, and some of her favorite bites from past Arundel Grown events.  

So tune in, check out the 2022 Arundel Grown Farm To Table Tasting menu, and, whether you're in Anne Arundel County or anywhere else, commit to take the Buy Local Challenge!

As Asian American and Pacific Islander Month comes to a close, we're celebrating one of the many great Asian American-owned businesses - and, at 30 years old, likely one of the oldest - in Anne Arundel County: Vuong's Martial Arts.

We sat down with Chien Vuong, owner of the self-proclaimed "best martial arts school ever," to discuss:

• How he fell in love with martial arts and decided, at the ripe old age of 12, that he would one day open a taekwondo studio.
• The work ethic instilled in him by his mom, who worked as a special forces nurse for the U.S. Army in Vietnam before bringing Chien and his two siblings to America, where she worked on Fort Bragg, in 1975.
• Why he's so passionate about helping kids become more confident in themselves, and become better people, through taekwondo.
• Why he loves having his business located in Anne Arundel County, along with his favorite businesses to visit. 

PLUS the top five Asian Americans that he admires.

So tune in to learn more about a business, and a man, that's all about helping Anne Arundel County's kids become both physically and mentally fit!

With National Wine Day (May 25!) and much-awaited warmer weather (YAY!) approaching - and, to keep it 100, because who needs an excuse for wine?! - there's no better time for our next guest: Great Frogs Winery.

We sat down with Andrea O'Shea, co-owner of the one and only winery in Annapolis, to discuss:

• How she and her husband, Nate, fell in love with wine and decided to start a winery in, of all places, Anne Arundel County.
• How the business has continued to evolve and overcome a wide array of challenges, from a natural disaster to a global pandemic.
• What goes into growing good grapes and making good wine - and drinking it without being a snob!
• Her top five favorite local businesses, Great Frogs bottles, and foods to pair with wine.
• PLUS what's behind the infamous Great Frogs name and logo!

So tune in to learn more about a business that's growing great grapes, and making great wine, in Anne Arundel County!

What better way for the My ArundelBiz podcast to welcome May - a month filled with celebratory occasions including Mother's Day, high school proms, graduations, and weddings - than to feature one of Anne Arundel County's many great flower-flinging businesses: Maher's Florist.

We sat down with Kim Wharton, owner of the Pasadena-based biz, to discuss:

• How she fell in love with flowers - despite originally having "no interest" in them - while working alongside her mom, who opened the business in 1977.
• How the business has continued to evolve and set itself apart amid various challenges, from e-commerce giants to international shipping issues.
• Her top tips for business owners.
• Her five favorite local businesses and her five favorite flowers 
• PLUS the truth about black roses and black-eyed Susans!

So tune in to learn more about a business, and a woman, that's all about the blooms!

Well then you're in luck because, whether you knew it or not, there just so happens to be one week left in National Brunch Month (April!) and our next My ArundelBiz podcast episode just so happens to feature one of the top spots to get your brunch on in Anne Arundel County any time of year: The Breakfast Shoppe.

We sat down with Jeff Fitchett, owner of the family-owned and -operated Severna Park staple, to discuss:

• How he went from washing dishes at 15 to unexpectedly becoming the owner of The Breakfast Shoppe at 23.
• What makes the restaurant so popular with the local community, from its unique décor to its creative, always-delicious dishes - including one that led to a visit from the Food Network!
• His top tips for business owners.
• PLUS his five favorite local businesses and his all-time favorite menu items - including "the best breakfast deal in the United States!"

So tune in to learn more about a guy, and a place, that's all about that breakfast!

Because today (April 13) is International Plant Appreciation Day AND because April showers are making us think of the planting of and emergence of May flowers, there's no better time for My ArundelBiz to feature its next great guest: Himmel's Landscape & Garden Center. 

We sat down with Elizabeth Elliott, owner of the Pasadena-based biz, to discuss:

• How she fell in love with landscaping while working at Himmel's, over 20 years ago, and took a circuitous path before becoming its owner in 2018.
• How a VOLT Fund loan from AAEDC allowed her to purchase, then very quickly expand, the business. 
• The biggest challenges that growing from 4 to 35 employees has brought - and how she's dealt with them!
• What goes into selecting the 13,000+ plants that she stocks.
• PLUS her top spots to visit in Anne Arundel County AND her top gardening and landscaping tips.

So tune in to learn more about a woman who says her "heart was always at Himmel's" and is truly passionate about plants!

Although Women's History Month officially ended on March 31, we're kicking off April by spotlighting another one of the many awesome woman-owned businesses in Anne ARRRRRRRRundel County: Pirate Adventures On The Chesapeake. 

We sat down with Emily Tomasini, founder of the 20 year-old company, to discuss:

• How seeing a pirate ship in Cape Cod inspired her to open her business in Annapolis. 
• Dealing with the challenges of a seasonal, weather-dependent business that's "all about the boat."
• What makes the Pirate Adventure experience so memorable - HINT: it involves pirate tattoos and water cannons! - and how she and her employees strive to deliver it every day. 
• The many business lessons she learned as a member of AAEDC's second Inclusive Ventures Program cohort.
• PLUS her top spots to "spend her buried treasure" in Anne Arundel County and her top five pirate movies!

So tune in, mateys, and set sail on an adventure to learn more about Emily and her great ARRRRRRRundelBiz!

We're celebrating Women's History Month by spotlighting two of the many awesome woman-owned businesses in Anne Arundel County. In our latest episode of the My ArundelBiz podcast we sat down with Sarah Campbell, owner of New Roots Farm - an ag-based ArundelBiz that offers some of the freshest meat in Maryland. 

Sarah discusses: 

• How she decided to become a fourth-generation farmer focused on raising cows, pigs, chicken, and sheep.
• What it's like to operate in an ever-changing, traditionally male-dominated industry that requires her to wear tons of hats and deal with tons of variables. 
• How she HATCHED the idea of bringing a mobile poultry processing unit to Anne Arundel County and worked with Arundel Ag to make it happen.

PLUS she gives us her top tips for business owners and her favorite things to eat, both on the farm and out and about in Anne Arundel.  

So tune in to learn more about New Roots, the animals that live there, and the woman who raises them! 

We're continuing to celebrate Black History Month by spotlighting another awesome black-owned business in Anne Arundel County: Magothy Payments.

In our latest My ArundelBiz podcast we sat down with Jaron Rice, Magothy’s owner and a proud member of our second Inclusive Ventures Program cohort, to discuss:

• What inspired him to create a payment processing company focused on small business.
• How Magothy's niche services and customer service have helped it become Maryland's highest-rated merchant services provider.
• The positive and negative effects of COVID on his business. 

PLUS his top five tips for entrepreneurs and his top five places to make some of his own payments (aka spend his money) in Anne Arundel County.

So tune in to learn more about Magothy and the surprisingly-intriguing industry in which it operates!

We're celebrating Black History Month by spotlighting some terrific Anne Arundel County businesses. In our latest My ArundelBiz podcast we sat down with Chuanda Mason, owner of RTB (Ride The Beat) Cycle - an ArundelBiz that offers the highest-energy spin classes in Odenton. 

Not only an entrepreneur but also a Veteran, Chuanda discusses: 

• how she fell in love with then decided to actually start a business based on spin 
• how lessons learned from her entrepreneurial mom and her time in the military have helped her succeed 
• how she faced and overcame the many challenges that COVID-19 presented to her business (which happened to open in January 2020!) 

PLUS she tells us about her career in Hollywood and celebrity friends, her favorite dining destinations in Anne Arundel County, and recently running into a fellow Arundel High School grad who also became an entrepreneur (Go Wildcats!).

So tune in to learn more about RTB and its high-energy founder!

The second My ArundelBiz podcast of 2022 features Fluttr, an internet-based personal greeting card service that's set to launch just in time for Valentine's Day - AND in time for all of the very many other holidays and non-holidays when you want to show you care!

Matt discusses:

• how a frustrating Mother's Day inspired him to found the company, and how he came up with its name.
• what makes the service unique, from its 55-member artist network and 730 customizable cards to its back-end technology.
• how he plans to grow the company, with the help of a VOLT Growth Fund loan from AAEDC, in the future.

PLUS the episode features plenty of inside-the-card industry secrets AND three guys getting pretty emotional about the power of "just because" cards.

So tune in to learn more about Fluttr and how it plans to change the greeting card game!

• The origins of IVP, which aims to help small and minority-, women-, and Veteran-owned businesses in Anne Arundel County succeed and grow by providing their owners with the resources that early-stage entrepreneurs so often lack: business education and training, access to capital, and mentorship.
• What types of businesses have participated in IVP since its launch, in January 2020, and what members of the first cohort and second cohort of IVP graduates gained from the experience.
• The application and selection process for our third class of IVP participants, beginning with an application period of 1/24/22 at 9:00AM to 1/31/22 at 5:00PM and ending with the first virtual class on 3/2/22.
• PLUS Keasha's top five tips for starting a business!

So tune in to learn more about the Inclusive Ventures Program and why you, or someone you know, might want to be a part of it!

With this in mind we sat down with Stephen Kaufmann, co-owner of Franklin's Toys - an awesome ArundelBiz that offers a diverse blend of new and classic high-play value toys at its stores in Annapolis and Severna Park - for the second of three holiday-themed episodes that will close out 2021.

We discuss how Stephen went from toy industry rep to toy store owner; what sets Franklin’s apart from the big box stores, from the toys it stocks to the wrapping paper with which it wraps; and how the business has dealt with (and, knock on wood, defeated) aforementioned dreaded supply chain issues this holiday season. Plus, Stephen talks about his top five toys, pieces of advice for small business owners, and places to shop in Anne Arundel County.

So get ready for some toy talk and tune in!

With this ample alliteration in mind and the holidays upon us, we sat down with Chris Miller, owner of Dangerously Delicious Pies Annapolis -  an awesome ArundelBiz that offers diverse sweet and savory pies, quiches, coffee, and more - for the first of three holiday-themed episodes that will close out 2021.

We discuss why Chris went from being a concert promoter to a "pie guy," how he dealt with signing a lease just before and opening the business in the middle of COVID-19, and what makes DD's pies so palate-pleasing and popular.

Plus, Chris offers his top tips for those starting a new small business and, relying on his concert promoter past, his top five bands to see live.

So bon appetit - we know you'll wish you had both smellavision and tasteavision for this one!

With this in mind, we sat down with Chris Barber, "chief geek" at (and owner of) Cheaper Than A Geek, a computer repair and IT services company based in Crofton, Maryland, to talk all-things computer service and #cybersecurity during #CybersecurityAwarenessMonth (October).

We discuss what motivated Chris to start the business (it involves a horrible experience that he'll never forget), how he recruits and retains employees who deliver exceptional customer service by "thinking nerd but speaking English" (it involves Nerf guns), and much more.

Plus, most importantly, Chris offers his top tips on how you can be more #cybersmart and #cybersafe while living an increasingly cyber-based world!

With that in mind we sat down with Adam Ashley, co-creator of Goodtimer - an electronic educational toy that encourages kids to form healthy habits using positive reinforcement, tangible incentives, and family participation - for the latest episode of the My ArundelBiz Podcast. We discuss what motivated Adam and his wife to develop the product (hint: they have young kids!), how being the first small business in Anne Arundel County to receive a loan (of $100,000) from AAEDC's VOLT Growth Fund (VGF) will help his Crownsville-based company strategically grow, and much more.

So if you're interested in learning more about an innovative product that promises to add familial happiness to your home - and just might be the perfect gift this holiday season - tune in!

Capital SUP is a maritime-based #ArundelBiz in the heart of Annapolis uniquely impacting our local waterways while driving new tourism activities like SUP (aka Stand Up Paddleboarding). In this podcast interview with co-founder Kevin Haigis, learn all about stand up paddleboarding and the activities (and local music!) you can explore without land… or even the need for a boat!

Earlier this year AAEDC launched a minority business growth program called Inclusive Ventures Program convened by Keasha Haythe here in our office. In addition to education, growth guidance, and a $5,000 seed investment grant, mentors were made available to offer support for these growing entrepreneurs. In the most recent episode of the My ArundelBiz Podcast we feature one such mentor- Dr. Johnetta Thurston, founder of JDA Management and Consulting Group .

Johnetta is the founder and principal consultant of JDA Management and Consulting Group, LLC (JDA). With over 25 years of human resources, training, project management, and leadership development experience, she understands people, relationships, and organizations on a multitude of levels. Her professional experience has afforded her a unique view of people and business, which gives her a well-rounded and balanced ability to deal with people in various positions.

Learn about her views on work, life, mentorship, and leaving a legacy in the podcast below!